Child&#39;s lamp switch



Feb. 1, 1955 Filed 001;. 9. 1950 IN V EN TOR. RUBIN United States Patent CHILDS LAMP SWITCH Leon Rubin, Flushing, N. Y.

Application October 9, 1950, Serial No. 189,123

4 Claims. (Cl. 240-123) This invention relates to new and useful improvements in electrical switch operating means, and, more particularly, to a novel lamp and toy gun combination for childrens rooms and the like.

Heretofore lamps for childrens rooms have, in general, been provided with one or the other of two types of switch operating means, namely, the pull chain or the push button. These means, however, have been found unsatisfactory for childrens lamps in that young children have difficulty in operating the same due to the naturally weak and uncoordinated state of their fingers. Further, in attempting to operate the said means children often topple over the lamp with injurious results.

The principal object of the invention, therefore, is the provision of switch operating means easily manipulated by a small child, and which is so constructed and arranged as to be actuated by pulling the trigger of a toy gun commonly mounted with the lamp, such trigger pulling action being a familiar manipulation to most children.

Another object of the invention is to construct the switch operating means actuated by said trigger in such manner that the same is reliable in operation and safe to be utilized by children.

Another object of the invention is to mount the said gun in such a manner that the same is ideally located for manipulation of the trigger thereof by the raised hand of a small child.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, and to the appended claims in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawings forming a material part of this disclosure:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a preferred embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the device.

F ig. 3 is a plan view of the device.

Fig. 4 is a bottom plan view of the device.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary enlarged sectional view along line 55 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged rear elevation of the gun portion of the device with certain parts broken away more clearly to show the construction.

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 6 but illustrates a modified construction.

The switch operating mechanism according to the first form of the invention illustrated in Figs. 1 to 6, is shown applied to a lamp having a square base 10 with block-like feet 11 at the bottom corners thereof and having a plate 12 of lesser dimensions secured at the top thereof. As here shown the elements 10, 11 and 12 are constructed of wood, but it is to be understood that any other material may be utilized. Adjacent one edge of plate 12 and centrally disposed relative to the oppositely directed edges, a standard 13 in the form of a tube projects upward and is offset near its upper end to locate a socket 14 secured at the top thereof closer to the center of plate 12. An electric lamp 15 is, of course, engaged in the socket 14 and is provided with any suitable lamp shade, not shown. The mounting of standard 13 is best shown in Fig. 5.

Embedded in the plate 12 and base 10 is an internally threaded sleeve 16 into which the lower end of the standard is secured. A nut 17 threaded on the standard abuts the upper end of the sleeve 16. A nipple 18 is threaded into the lower end of sleeve 16 and projects below the base 10 where it is provided with a washer 20 and a nut 21. Suit- 2,701,300 Patented Feb. 1, 1955 able electric leads 22 of course extend up through the standard 13 to the socket 14.

Mounted in front of the standard 13 at a substantial upward inclination is a toy revolver 23 having a butt 24 and a trigger 25. In outward appearance revolver 23 preferably resembles only a toy gun and preferably is provided with decorative, removable butt hand grips 26 held in place by a bolt 27, see Figs. 1 and 6. As shown in Fig. 6, toy revolvers of this type are provided with butt side walls 28 beneath the decorative hand grips 26, the latter being held against the former by the bolt 27. According to the invention, one butt side wall 28 is provided with a suitable cutout 30 through which an off-on switch 31 may be inserted into the butt, the switch being anchored in place by the edges of the cutout and by the hand grips 26. Any type of switch may be utilized and two types are illustrated herein. In Fig. 6 an ordinary pull chain switch 31 is shown anchored in the butt of the gun. The operating mechanism within the switch is of familiar sort and is not illustrated, it being suflicient to state that successive operations of the switch make and break contact between a pair of electric leads 32. The pull chain for the switch preferably is replaced by an insulative cord 33 which is anchored to the trigger 25 beyond its pivot 34. It is evident that pulling the trigger 25 will operate the switch 31.

It was mentioned above that the gun 23 is mounted at a substantial upward inclination. The purpose of this is to locate the gun in position to be handled most easily by the upraised hand of a small child as the lamp is standing on a table or the like. It is believed to be evident that no bending or kinking of the childs wrist would be required with the illustrated arrangement. The gun is supported by a tube 35 which extends through the plate 12 and the base 10 at right angles to the base of the gun butt 24, and projects through a suitable hole in the gun butt base. Nuts 36 and 37 are threaded on the tube within and without the butt base to fixedly secure the gun in position. Beneath base 10, the tube 35 is provided with a washer 38 and a nut 40. As shown, the leads 32 from switch 31 extend through tube 35 and are suitably joined with the leads 22 from socket 14 and with leads 41 extending to an ordinary male plug 42. The connection of said leads to effect illumination or extinguishing of the lamp bulb 15 as the switch 31 is operated are so familiar as to require no illustration or description herein.

In the modification of the invention shown in Fig. 7, an ordinary one-button push button switch 31' is fixedly mounted in the gun butt, wherein like parts are given the same reference numerals as heretofore with a prime added. The switch 31' is operated by a pushing rather than a pulling action, the cord 33' is secured to the end of a lever 43 pivoted on a stud 44 extending between the butt side walls 28', said lever having a curled under tail 45 engaging the push button of the switch. In obvious manner, pulling the trigger 25 operates the switch to make or break contact between the leads 32'.

It is to be understood that this invention will especially appeal to children who may be fascinated by pulling the trigger of a toy gun for turning on and off a light by this novel arrangement. The location, angle and inclination of the toy revolver may be changed as desired.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise constructions herein disclosed and the right is reserved to all changes and modifications coming within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent 1s:

1. A childs table lamp comprising a raised base, a tubular standard projecting upward from said base, a socket secured atop the standard and having an electric bulb therein, a toy revolver supported on the base in front of the standard at a substantial upward inclination adapted to facilitate handling thereof by the upraised hand of a small child, a trigger for said gun in the form of a lever of the first order, a butt for the gun having a base, a tube project ng through the lamp base at an inclination and extending through the butt base, nuts secured on the tube on either side of the butt based to secure the gun in position, side walls for said butt, decorative hand grips removably secured on said side walls, a cutout in one said side wall, an oflF-on switch mounted in said butt and held in place by the edges of said cutout and by said hand grips, insulative cord means actuated by said trigger lever to operate said switch, and circuit means for said bulb in which said switch is connected.

2. A childs table lamp comprising a raised base, a tubular standard projecting upward from said base, a socket secured atop the standard and having an electric bulb therein, a toy revolver supported on the base in front of the standard at a substantial upward inclination adapted to facilitate handling thereof by the upraised hand of a small child, a trigger for said gun in the form of a lever of the first order, a butt for the gun having a base, a tube projecting through the lamp base at an inclination and extending through the butt base, nuts secured on the tube on either side of the butt base to secure the gun in position, side walls for said butt, decorative hand grips removably secured on said side Walls, a cutout in one said side wall, an off-on switch mounted in said butt and held in place by the edges of said cutout and by said hand grips, insulative cord means actuated by said trigger lever to operate said switch including a cord anchored to said trigger lever, and circuit means for said bulb in which said switch is connected.

3. A childs table lamp comprising a raised base, a tubular standard projecting upward from said base, a socket secured atop the standard and having an electric bulb therein, a toy revolver supported on the base in front of the standard at a substantial upward inclination adapted to facilitate handling thereof by the upraised hand of a small child, a trigger for said gun in the form of a lever of the first order, a butt for the gun having a base, a tube projecting through the lamp base at an inclination and extending through the butt base, nuts secured on the tube on either side of the butt base to secure the gun in position, side walls for said butt, decorative hand grips removably secured on said side walls, a cutout in one said side wall, an off-on pull chain switch mounted in said butt and held in place by the edges of said cutout and by said hand grips, insulative cord means actuated by said trigger lever to operate said switch which consists of a cord anchored to said trigger lever, and circuit means for said bulb in which said switch is connected.

4. A childs table lamp comprising a raised base, a tubular standard projecting upward from said base, a socket secured atop the standard and having an electric bulb therein, a toy revolver supported on the base in front of the standard at a substantial upward inclination adapted to facilitate handling thereof by the upraised hand of a small child, a trigger for said gun in the form of a lever of the first order, a butt for the gun having a base, a tube projecting through the lamp base at an inclination and extending through the butt base, nuts secured on the tube on either side of the butt base to secure the gun in position, side walls for said butt, decorative hand grips removably secured on said side Walls, a cutout in one said side wall, an off-on one-button push button switch mounted in said butt and held in place by the edges of said cutout and by said hand grips, means actuated by said trigger lever to operate said switch which includes a cord anchored to said trigger lever and a lever having a tail to depress the switch button and to which said cord is secured, and circuit means for said bulb in which said switch is connected.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 744,530 Gill Nov. 17, 1903 984,053 Weber Feb. 14, 1911 1,096,726 Knopf May 12, 1914 2,014,217 Williamson Sept. 10, 1935 2,100,008 Stephens Nov. 23, 1937 2,165,563 Mariani July 11, 1939 2,638,530 Duda May 12, 1953 

